Subsoiling device.



E. TURNER.

SUBSOILING DEVICE.

APPLICATIONV FILED DEC. s. |915.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

R w mr m 16 4o m TOHNE Y 8 HIIIIIIIH ERNEST TURNER, 0F ALEXANDER CITY, ALABAMA.

SUBSOILING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Application led December 6, 1916. Serial No. 135,439.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST TURNER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Alexander City, in the county of Tallapoosa and State of Alabama, have invented a new and Improved Subsoiling Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The general objects of my invention are to reduce the cost incident to subsoiling with explosive materials by the present methods; to minimize the dangers of accidental explosion which are incident to present methods; and to increase the elfectiveness of the explosive force' on the soil. A

In carrying out my invention a tube is l provided, adapted to be inserted in the ground toV be blasted and adapted to constitute at its forward end a container for blasting powder. A plunger is Slidably itted in the tube in the ,rear of the explosive charge, and a percussion cap, a match head, or the like, may be employed to cause ignition of the charge under the impact of the plunger. In connection with the plunger a sliding weight is employed thereon in the rear of the tube, the weight being retained in an elevated position on the plunger by a removable pin which is .adapted to be withdrawn by a pull cord extending to a safe distance. On the plunger a. collar is provided to receive the blow of the weight when the latter is released so that the blow will give a forward impulse to the plunger to produce the explosion. The invention will be particularly explained in the specific description following.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specilication in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is *a partly sectional side elevation of a subsoiling device constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the position of the parts before releasing the wei ht;

Y Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the posi- -tion of the parts after the explosion;

Fig. 3 1s a side elevation showing a slightly different form of the device;

ig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the forward end of the-tube shown Fig., 5 is a cross section on the line 5 5, Fig. 4.;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on a reduced scale of the tube in another form with associated driving elements;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the tube in the driven position and containlng a charge of powder, the driving tool being removed.

In constructing a practical embodiment of my invention, the tube to contain the eX- plosive charge may be of a form to be inserted in a previously made hole in the ground; or given a form to be driven into the ground thereby cutting its own way in the soil, or a driving plunger and head may be provided whereby to drive the tube.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 the tube 10 has a throughbore 11. At the forward end the tube is adapted to receive a charge 12 of blasting powder or the like and a percussion cap 13 or equivalent percussion element to ignite the charge. My improved device makes it possible to effectively subsoil with blasting powder, thereby avoiding the dangers incident to dynamiting and also materially reducing the cost of the work.

Slidably itted in the tube 10, in the rear of the explosive charge is a plunger 14 which may be restrained against forward movement in the tube by a removable pin 15 which is receivable in a transverse hole 16 in the plunger and adapted to rest on the rear end of the tube 10.

In order to give a forward impulse to the .plunger 14, I provide a sliding weight 17 thereon. The weight is sustained m the elevated position as shown in Fig. 1 by a pin 18 which is passed through a transverse hole 19 in the plunger. To the pin 18 1s connected one end of a pull cord 20 which in practice will be of a length to extend a safe distance. On the plunger 14 a collar 21 or equivalent member is formed or secured to receive the blow of the hammer17.

In ractice, with the form shown in F1gs. 1 an 2, a hole having been formed 1n the ground the tube 10 is inserted in the hole and a charge of black powder is poured into the tube, the percussion cap or a match head is then dropped through the tube onto the powder, the plunger 14 is now m the tube in the rear of the explosive charge, and the pin 15 inserted to prevent an accldental explosion. When it 1s desired to effeet the explosion, the pin 15 is removed and the plunger gently iowered onto the percussion cap, the operator now may pull since the explosion' of the powder occurs to explode under the pressure exerted by the blow, the full force of the explosion being effective on the soil through the lower open end of .the tube.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the plunger and its appurtenances are the same 1n all respects with the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tube 10, however, corresponding with the tube 10, has a pointed lower ,end 22 whereby the tube may be readily driven into the ground, thereby boring its own hole as the tube advances. As the pointed end is closed, the lateral openings 2'3 are formed in the tube near the lower end and disposed at different angles, whereby the explosion of the powder 12a will be effective in various directions against the soil.

In Figs. 6 and 7, the tube designated 10b has an enlarged head `10a, and the lower end of the tube is tapered exteriorly. The tube in this form is adapted to be driven by a driving toolA comprising a plunger 24 having a tapered lower end 24a adapted to pro- 'ject through the lower end of the tube. Said plunger has a head 25 which is preferably removable that it may be renewed without.

damage. In practice the plunger 24 is placed in the tube 1()b with the head resting on the enlarged head 10 of the tube.

lThe tube and plunger are then Vdriven byblows of a maul or the like delivered against the head 25. When the tube is driven the plunger is removed and a charge of powder inserted in the tube and tapered hole formed by the plunger at the lower end of the tube,

whereby the plunger 14 may be employed the said powder in the manner described.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A subsoiling device including a tube adapted to form at its front portion a con- -charge-receiving front end under the forceV of a blow for exploding the charge by impacting the plunger against the percussion element, removable means to hold the plunger against forward movement in the tube, a weight slidable on the plunger in the lrear of the tube, said Ifod having a member there-` of rearward of the tube to receive the impact of the weight, said plunger having a member thereon in the rear of the 'tube to receive the blow of the hammer and having a transverse pin hole near the rear ,end of the tube, and a pin fitting said pin hole and adapted .to vbe withdrawn by a pull thereon to permit the weight to drop against the member on the plunger.

2. A subsoiling device including a tube adapted to form at-its front portion a container for an explosive charge and a percussion element and v be inserted in the ground to be blasted, a plunger slidably fitting said tube at the rear end and of a length to roject rearwardly therefrom, a sliding welght on'the plunger in the rear of the tube, and means to releasably sustain the weight in position near the'rear end of being adapted to ybe inserted in the ground to be blasted, a plunger slidably fitting said tube at the rear end and of a length to project beyond the rear of thetube, a sliding weight on the plunger rearwardvof the tube, and means to4 releasably sustain the weight on the plunger in the rear of the tube, said plunger having a member thereon between the weight and the tube to receive the blow of the weight.

i a ERNEST TURNER. 

